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September 30, 2013

I was sitting on the beach last week watching the waves
roll in and enjoying the glorious Southern California weather. An adorable
little girl in a cheetah print bikini with a fuchsia flounce walked past –
backward. She almost walked into my chair until her mother gently reminded her
to watch where she was going. When she saw me, I smiled at her – one of those
crinkly-eyed smiles. She was so endearing with her springy hair and chubby
toddler legs.

She paused ever so slightly when I smiled at her and though
she remembered she needed to watch where she was going (by glancing over her
shoulder – behind her) she also kept a curious eye on me as she continued
backward down the beach.

Since I was visiting from the Pacific Northwest, my very
white skin was quickly becoming pink. I spread a towel on the sand in front of
my beach chair and flopped onto my belly – an equal opportunity pinker. I was
completely engrossed in my Kindle book when something fell onto the sand in
front of me.

A single strand of seaweed. I glanced up and the saw the
charming bounce of the fuchsia flounce as the toddler trotted off. My gaze
shifted to her mother who shrugged and said, “A gift for you, I guess.” My
delightful new friend offered a coy smile as she skipped ahead of her mom.

See what a smile can do? Smile at someone today.
Someone you don’t know. Better yet, smile at many someones today. It will change
the world.

September 27, 2013

Welcome to my blog feature, Building Character in which
you get to meet a character from a book. Talking to a character outside of
their book is fun! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.

This week Strands of Thought is host to Rhaya and Zelene
from the new adult book, Heirs of War. Hello ladies, it’s so good of you to
join us on Strands of Thought. Tell us a little about yourselves and what your
life is like.

Rhaya: Hello! I’m
Rhaya. I’m nineteen, I’m a bit of an empath. Okay, that’s modest. I’m seriously
an empath. It gets kinda weird, but it can be cool too. I would normally tell
you all about how I’m a college student, and I work in a bookstore, and all the
other usual stuff. But, um, I guess that really doesn’t apply anymore since I’m
not even sure there are universities or bookstores in Estridia.

Zelene: And I’m
Zelene. I’m seventeen. I don’t have any magical power—

Zelene: Right. Anyway. I’m an orphan, and my exboyfriend
just risked his life to save mine from some magical assassins sent to…well,
yeah, to kick my ass. They did.

Rhaya: I think
they were sent to kill us, actually. But they did kick your ass. Oh, and you
aren’t an orphan anymore, remember?

Zelene: Oh, you
mean that dude that said he’s my father and explained how he and my now-dead
Mom decided to ship us all off into the great unknown almost eighteen years
ago? Like I said, I’m an orphan.

Kai: What
conflict are you up against?

Rhaya: Well,
we’ve sort of been taken from the world we knew—one without magic or
anything—and told we’re supposed to inherit some kind of power to help save the
worlds. I’m still trying to figure out from what. I mean, the worlds are at war
right now, but as an outsider, I have to say it seems like they just need to be
saved from themselves. Like “Hey, man. Put that battle axe down. Don’t throw
that fireball. Let’s talk.” So I guess our biggest problem is figuring out what
this war is, what this power we supposedly have is, and how we fit into it all.

Zelene: Please!
What conflict aren’t we up against?
The Duillaine—that’s the elders with the power now.

Rhaya: My mother
and our two aunts, I guess.

Zelene: Is
Sylvanna our aunt?

Rhaya: I don’t
know. I’m still trying to figure out who is related to who and how. I thought
your brother was cute until I realized he’s my cousin.

Zelene: Wow, I
could have gone forever without knowing that. Anyway, the Duillaine are so
backwards and it’s like they aren’t doing anything to rescue Ariana.

Rhaya: That’s her
twin.

Zelene: Yeah, the
one the bad guys captured. Now she’s in some dungeon being tortured and the
Duillaine haven’t done shit about it. They have freaking armies! But it’s all
‘Oh, pish-posh, that’s a delicate matter for us to deal with. Now let’s prepare
for your party.’ It’s so messed up.

Kai: What are some of the
biggest stumbling blocks you’ve encountered trying to resolve your conflict?

Rhaya: Well, Zelene is having trouble with the whole magic thing.

Zelene: Way to throw me under the bus there, cuz. Fine, I can’t do
magic. Rhaya’s been able to shoot fireworks from her fingertips since we
stepped through the door, but hey. I’m not worried. Of course not. Why worry
when there’s this whole magical war looming over our heads?

Rhaya: I wonder if I could shoot lightning from my fingertips…

Zelene: I wasn’t trying to give you any ideas.

Rhaya: You’re really cranky today. I think I
should answer. Okay, well I think one of the biggest challenges we have is
trying to figure out this new world. I mean, we’re supposed to be on Anscombe’s
side of this war, but we don’t know much about either side or why they went to
war to begin with. There’s this new culture and new history for us to explore
and get to know before we can figure out how we fit in. Some of the customs are
a bit…antiquated, I guess.

Zelene: They have servants, Rhaya. Or have you already forgotten
about the Tainted?

Rhaya: Every culture needs room to evolve. I think we just need to
give them the chance and maybe help them along the way.

Kai: Tell us about your best friend.

Rhaya: Well, I wasn’t really close to anyone back on Dhara. I mean,
I had friends in my classes, but no one I would consider a best friend. The
whole empath thing got in the way of that. I did hang out with Isauria before
everything happened though, so I guess I would consider her my best friend. She
and I are both huge scifi geeks and avid readers. She’s kind of socially
awkward too, so that worked out pretty well.

Zelene: …I guess that would be Kyle, even if he is an ass. He did
save my life and before we dated and broke up, he was my best friend. We both
grew up in the foster care system and sort of took care of each other. He’s
arrogant and stubborn and can be so incredibly frustrating, but he has the
biggest heart of anyone I know. He would take a bullet for you, without
question. He kinda did take the magical bullet for me already, and that’s after
six months of being at each other’s throats. He always surprises me. And he
always knows how to make me laugh.

Readers, here is more information about Rhaya and Zelene’s
story Heirs of War:

Seventeen-year-old Zelene doesn't believe in magic or
prophecies. When she's told she is part of the prophecy foretelling five
powerful girls bringing peace to the war-torn worlds, she scoffs. The idea of
other dimensions layered on top of the world she lives in is almost as
ludicrous as the idea that she might be able to save them. After she is
attacked by magic-wielding assassins, she finds she can't argue with reality.

As their enemies strike, the girls are taken back to their world and discover
the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for
reading people, but can’t seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the
new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of
Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by
the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the
world she was born in.

Zelene views them all with a distrustful eye, familial bonds or no, and can
think of a place or two she’d like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited.
When she learns that her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by the rebels,
Zelene’s attitude changes. She doesn’t know how she is supposed to go against
an army of magic-wielding rebels when her own ability to manipulate the
elements is still locked within her. But can she trust the elders to rescue
Ariana when it seems their medieval politics are what brought about the war in
the first place? With all that is at stake, the answer becomes clear to Zelene.

Thanks for visiting with us on Strands of Thought to talk
about your story. Readers, here the skinny on Rhaya and Zelene’s author:

Mara Valderran has been coming up with stories pretty almost since she
could talk, often commandeering her brother's G.I. Joes to play out her
fictional tales alongside her Barbies. Once she hit adolescence and realized
playing with dolls wasn't cool anymore, she started putting her ideas to paper.
And she hasn’t stopped since.

Mara is more than just a madwoman with a writing box. She lives in the south
with her husband and demanding cat. She hopes to one day meet Daniel Jackson
from SG1, or at least the actor who played him. When she’s not writing, you can
find her reading, playing video games, or spending time at her favorite local
coffee shop.

September 25, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is children’s author, Beth Overmyer. Welcome
to Strands of Thought, Beth! Can you tell us a little about you, please?

Beth Overmyer is a stay-at-home writer and a slave to The
Cat. She mainly writes middle grade, but also is trying to branch into young
adult and some new adult fiction. (Hi, Mom!)

I get that. At our house, we are slaves to The Bunny.

Beth is a fellow middle grade author over at MuseItUp
Publishing. Tell us about your novel, Beth.

In a Pickle is
about Charlie Pickle, a boy who time-travels every other day...quite
accidentally. On a trip back to 1910, he meets a man with a secret. Murder
makes the headlines that day, and Charlie’s new friend knows who the guilty
party is. Now, not only does Charlie have bullies to contend with, he’s got
some history to fix.

Top 3
books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.

I recommend…

Percy
Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It’s fun,
it’s hilarious, and it paints kids with difficulties (ADHD and dyslexia, that
is) in a positive light.

The
Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. It’s a true mystery, no detectives on the
case. From chapter to chapter, you’re left hanging by your nails, wondering
“What on earth is going on?” If you like a good puzzle and are up for an
intellectually-challenging read, this book should do.

Okay
for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt really has a way with weaving a
good story and delivering an emotional gut-punch. Highly entertaining and
moving.

Top 3
tools of the trade you couldn’t live without.

1.My
computer (Samwise is his name—yes, after Samwise Gamgee of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.) He is my ally in all my writing
adventures. Bob was his predecessor. He was evil. EVIL. (That’s awesome. Samwise
is the epitome of friendship in my book, so I LOVE that name!)

2.Critique
Circle, an online group where I can vent to fellow writers and get their help
with honing my craft.

3.Tea.
Caffeinated to help me through the tiring scenes, herbal to soothe my upset
nerves when things start going downhill.

Top 3
pieces of advice for kids these days.

Stay in school. Really, if I hadn’t
finished, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. School may not be fun, but it’s
great story fodder…I mean…it’s character-building.

Don’t worry about what other people
think…it really is true that they’re probably too busy thinking about
themselves.

Don’t be ashamed of your weaknesses.
Use them to your advantage. I’m shy with a short attention span. This is how I
can sit alone and write/rewrite/research for large chunks of time…and keep 30+
storylines straight.

Thanks for charming
us on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Beth. Best of luck to you and In a
Pickle.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME!
I am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an
author, illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have
something related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know
about, feel free to contact me about a future appearance.Follow my blog with Bloglovin

September 17, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is children’s author, Brian Barnett. Welcome
to Strands of Thought! Can you tell us a little about you, please?

My name is Brian Barnett.
I live in Frankfort, Kentucky with my wife, Stephanie, and my two (soon
to be three) children.

Congratulations on your growing family! Brian, I
understand you have over 100 published works. Can you tell us about your novel?

My book is titled Graveyard Scavenger Hunt. It is the first in what I hope will be a
long running series of books titled “NightScares”.

This particular story centers around a twelve-year-old boy
named Pete. He has to stay with his
grandparents for a week. Come to find
out, they live next to an abandoned graveyard.
One night certain circumstances take Pete to the graveyard after dark
and a living skeleton named Benny climbs from his grave and challenges Pete to
a game.

The game, as it turns out, is a scavenger hunt, which takes
Pete on an adventure filled of nightmarish characters to determine the fate of
the world.

I recommend my book to readers who like Goosebumps,
Spooksville or Deadtime Stories.

Readers, it’s your turn! Brian would like you to share
your top 3 responses to:

What
is it you look for when determining whether or not to buy a book?

I personally judge a book by its cover. I’m also attracted
to it if there has been a lot of buzz (so readers…buzz your favorite books, it
helps!) and I read the blurb to see if the storyline appeals to me. YOUR TURN!

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help
us know you a little better.

Top 3
books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.

Something
Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury was a rare talent with a very poetic style of
writing. Something Wicked This
Way Comes is a great scratcher of that intangible itch one gets during
the Autumn Season. If you like
Halloween, if you like creepy carnivals, if you like great, rich
characters- you have GOT to read this book.

The
Thief of Always by Clive Barker.
Baker is typically not for the squeamish, let alone younger
audiences, but this book is an exception. It’s about a boy who thinks he is going to a marvelous,
magical house where he can celebrate Halloween, Christmas and
Thanksgiving every single day. As time passes, he realizes these wonders
come only with a hefty price.

Wait
Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn. Mary Downing Hahn has fast become one of my favorite
authors. This was the first book
of hers that I read. I’d recommend
it to anyone. It’s a very creepy
ghost story, but it’s more than that.
It’s also a very deep and touching story revolving around the
family dynamic of step-sisters trying to co-exist.

Top 3
snacks to munch on while working.

Coffee.
Coffee’s not really a snack, but it is a necessity, ha.

Sunflower
seeds

I
don’t snack much, but I do like gum on occasion. It certainly spares my
fingernails.

Top 3
authors OR Top 3 illustrators.

(Author)
I have to say R. L. Stine. I was
a reluctant reader growing up. He
certainly changed that.

(Artist/Illustrator)
Charles Addams is a good dose of macabre humor for anyone who needs it.

(Author)
I suppose, though I have many more authors I could list, I’ll go with
Edgar Allan Poe. For me, Poe
bridged the gap between children’s and adult authors.

Thanks for charming
us on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Brian. Best of luck to you and Graveyard
Scavenger Hunt.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME! I
am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author,
illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something
related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel
free to contact me about a future appearance.

September 10, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is young adult author, Katie Carroll. Katie is visiting as part of her blog tour to announce the paperback version of her book! Welcome to Strands of Thought, Katie. Tell us a little about you, please.

I’m a mom, author of books for teens and kids, and editor
(in that order!). My journey to becoming a published author began after my
little sister, Kylene, unexpectedly passed away at the age of 16. I wanted to
write a fantasy adventure for her, and this book eventually became Elixir
Bound. Being a writer has taken me many wonderful places, real and imagined. I
also play soccer, read a lot, and get lost in the infinite loop of the
Internet. I live in a small CT city, not too far from the beach, with my
husband and 2-year-old son.

I’ve read and truly enjoyed Elixir Bound. Though I’m not
much of a reviewer, I posted one here. Katie, can you tell us about your book, please?

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a
secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of
Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even
though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son
of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone.

It is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to
the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest
hosts many dangers, including wicked beings that will stop at nothing to gain
power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her
heart to love. ELIXIR BOUND can purchased as an ebook at the MuseItUp
bookstore, Amazon,
Barnes
& Noble, and other book retailers, and it is coming out in paperback
this fall!

I recommend my book to readers who like:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Those of you who missed my interview with Katora herself, can find it here.

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help
us know you a little better.

Top 3
snacks to munch on while working.

Tea is my must-have beverage for
writing (and mornings!). I love loose leaf teas of the black variety, but I
also love trying teas of all flavors and mixing different types of tea
together. As for actual food, I’d say chocolate of any kind/shape/flavor and
egg sandwiches. (Kai whispers: I love egg sandwiches after exercising!)

Top 3
pieces of advice for kids these days.

Figure out what it is you love to
do and find a way to do for a living. Seriously, I’m a big believer in
following your dreams and wish I had figured out what my dream was earlier on
in life.

Expect wonderful things out of
life, but realize succeeding in your dreams take a lot of hard work, like
10,000 hours of hard work (if you’re into statistical type stuff). And don’t
give up even when someone says no. Writers hear no a lot, like a lot, lot, lot.
I’ve gotten more rejections than I care to remember.

Read, read, read. Even if you don’t
like reading books, read magazines, comic books, the cereal box. I have learned
most of what I know by reading (and a lot of that reading has been done for
pleasure).

Top 3
professions you wanted to be when you grew up.

I didn’t want to be a writer when I
grew up! When I was three, I wanted to be a baseball player…but not just any
baseball player, I wanted to play for the New York Yankees. Then when I was six
and first started school (I was homeschooled for kindergarten), I wanted to be
a teacher (my two older sisters both ended up being teachers). By the time I
got to high school and was really seriously thinking about what I wanted to do,
I decided I wanted to become a physical therapist. I even started graduate
school to be a physical therapist. None of those jobs held up to writer,
though, and now that’s what I am!

Thanks for charming
us on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Katie. Best of luck to you and Elixir
Bound.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME! I
am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author,
illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something
related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel
free to contact me about a future appearance.

September 8, 2013

The Back to School Blog Hop is hosted by We <3 Middle Grade Books. If you love middle grade books, join us over on Facebook to recommend books, talk about books you are reading, be the first to hear about new middle grade releases and cyber stalk favorite middle grade authors.

First Day Back:

I was always so nervous on the first day of school. I would pick out my first day outfit and have it laid out and ready. I'd check to make sure my alarm clock was on a million times before I went to bed and usually I wouldn't sleep too well.

The morning would dawn and I would usually be awake before my alarm went off. I'd lay there staring at the red digital numbers as they worked their way toward the time I'd set the alarm for. When it was finally time to get up I took extra care in my appearance. Check my stack of school supplies again, eat breakfast, make my lunch (if I hadn't made it the night before) and finally I'd leave for the mile long walk to school.

Was the first day of school ever as difficult as my nerves indicated? Only the year I moved and went to a new school in a new state. Every other first day was easy and fun. I loved school. I had great friends. Why was I nervous? I seriously have no idea.

Were you nervous on the first day of school? Or were you put out that you had to go back? Were you excited to get back to friends and a schedule? How did you feel?

We <3 Middle Grade Books is celebrating the new school year by giving away books or gift cards or things that will help say, "School is fun!" Enter my giveaway and then click on the frog at the bottom of this post to hop over to the other blogs celebrating too.

Winner will be able to choose an electronic copy of any of my published novels. Book may be emailed or given as a gift through a retailer. Click on the book covers in the right side bar to read more about each of my published novels or visit my website: www.kaistrand.com. Open internationally. Good luck!

September 4, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is young adult author, Mary Waibel. Welcome
to Strands of Thought, Mary. Tell us a little about you, please.

I live in upstate New York with my husband and son. I'm the
youngest of four children and the only girl.

I love reading, and am often found with my nose in a book
(or tablet) when I'm not writing. I also enjoy gaming, watching hockey, and
camping with my family and friends. I also like to hang-out on line and can be
found at:

A reverse Sleeping Beauty tale where the
princess goes on the quest to save the prince.

Princess Kaylee has never had to fight for
anything. Her entire life has been arranged, even her marriage. But when Prince
Devlin falls under an enchantment, she finds she is willing to do anything to
save him, even if it means fighting a dragon.

Devlin's own sister, Princess Arabella, is
behind the deadly plot. She wants the throne and will use any means necessary
to gain it. Her perfect plan unravels, leaving Devlin caught in a magical sleep
that is slowly spreading through the kingdom of Breniera. All Arabella needs to
finish her spell and claim the crown is a drop of Kaylee's blood, but obtaining
the single drop is proving more difficult than expected.

To save her betrothed, Kaylee embarks on a
quest to find an ancient sword and gather a drop of dragon's blood, while
trying to stay out of Arabella's traps. But Arabella's traps aren't the only
danger. Time is everything. For once the last inhabitant of the kingdom falls
asleep, the spell will be sealed, and not even true love's kiss will break it.

Prince Trevor has always placed duty to his kingdom above
the desires of his own heart. But when his betrothed is lost at sea, he finds
himself torn between honor and love.

After four years of searching for the missing princess, he
begins to secretly long for Lady Bri, the Woodland Guide he works with each
day. But the law says he must marry a princess, and Bri is barely a noble.

When Trevor learns that Bri shipwrecked at the same time and
place as the princess, he begins to believe he has finally found his
bride-to-be. But his happiness is short lived. Bri has no memory of her past,
and the princess wasn't the only girl who disappeared from the ship.

Desperate to prove Bri is his
princess, Trevor unwittingly places the two of them in grave danger. Buried in
Bri's memories are deadly secrets someone wants kept from the light of day, and
learning who she is may cost more than either is willing to pay.

I recommend my books to readers who like fairy tale
retellings such as, The Claidi Journals by Tanith Lee, and the Graceling series
by Kristin Cashore

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help
us know you a little better.

Top 3 books you recommend reading and why you recommend
them.

OK, I'm a bit of a rule breaker, so instead of 3 books (how
could I choose just 3?) I'll give 3 series.

The Lux
Series by Jennifer Armentrout. Hot aliens. Seriously, Ms. Armentrout is an
amazing story teller. I love escaping to her worlds whenever I can.

The Raine
Benares by Lisa Shearin. Sexy goblins. I know. Right? Ms. Shearin gives an
amazing twist on traditional elves and goblins. She has a medieval setting with
modern language and magic. Very cool books! (meant more for adults than kids!!
Definitely not for under 12- I'd say more for 15 and up)

The Mortal
Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Ms. Clare has an incredible talent for
world building. Love her descriptions.

Top 3 tools of the trade you couldn’t live without.

1) My laptop. No explanation necessary, I hope!

2) Google. Yes- I use Google often. And search out odd
things. Lots of medieval history things and old words. And names. And to get to
thesaurus.com and dictionary.com (yeah, I need to look up words and variations
of words, and meanings a lot). Oh, and Google translate is always fun when
coming up with new magic terms. (love playing with that!)

3) Dropbox.com. This way I always have access to my work AND I
don't have to worry about losing it. It's safely backed up in 'the cloud'.

(I use GoodSearch and raise
money for my favorite cause while I’m researching crazy things for my writing.
My current favorite cause is the Boise State University Symphonic Winds – my
daughter plays the clarinet with this fabulous group. Anyway, I figure I’m
doing the research anyway, I may as well show some support while I do it! Check
it out.)

1)Batman. He is my all-time favorite superhero. Why? Because
he's an ordinary guy in a suit (OK, a rich guy, but still, just a guy.) He has
super cool toys and he's a geek. What's not to like?

2)Buffy. Yes, I know she's not a comic book hero, but still I
think of her as a super hero. She's got super strength and extra healing, but
deep down, she's still just a human fighting to protect all she loves, no
matter that it always seems to cost her life.

3)Malcolm Reynolds. Who? Did you just say who? Have you never
seen Firefly?? (OK, I know I'm breaking the rules again, but I can't help it!)
Malcolm Reynolds may not be a comic book hero, but, he is the glue that hold
together the crew of the Firefly. Honestly, if you haven't seen this show,
check it out. It's awesome!

Thanks for charming
us on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Mary. Best of luck to you and your books.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME!
I am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an
author, illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have
something related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know
about, feel free to contact me about a future appearance.Follow my blog with Bloglovin

September 1, 2013

As Jeff Mean would say, "Holy crap, Batman!"My publisher, Whiskey Creek Press, was kind enough to inform me that King of Bad: Super Villain Academy Book 1 is their #1 Bestseller! A lot goes through one's mind when they learn such a thing about their book. Not one thing was coherent.I'm super...thankfulexcitedblown awayencouragedand STOKEDTo say THANK YOU to everyone who has or will buy a copy or three of my book, I'm going to give away a cool gift. (Sorry, has to be U.S. shipping address only.)

A chalkboard mug

I've always wanted one of these, but instead of buying one for myself, I'm going to order one from Upstart to be shipped directly to the winner's address of choice. It comes with chalk. And I'd TOTALLY love for the winner to supply a picture of the mug that says KING OF BAD on it! (Picture not required, just really, really desired.)To qualify to enter please help me spread the word about my BESTSELLING book! (<--Oh. My. Goodness!!)Thank you readers and good luck.

Here's the Scoop on

Hi! I'm Kai (pronounced like the letter K.) I write Epic award winning fiction for kids and teens. I can say that because I won an award from EPIC for The Weaver! I'm the mother of four, which makes me a bit of an expert in the writing for kids arena. I love singing, gardening, walking, pizza and Mozart. Please check out my books and short stories on my website and contact me with any questions you have. Thanks for reading.